Refrigerator fan



Oct. 20, 1931. A. A. KUCHER 1,828,538

REFRIGERATOR FAN Filed Nov. 19, 1924 2 Shees-Sheet 1 VENTOR I BYWW ATTORNEY Oct. 20, 1931. A. A. KUCHER REFRIGERATOR FAN 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1924 INVENTOR W ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANDREW A. KUCHER, OF CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA REFRIGERATOR FAN Application filed November 19, 1924. Serial No. 750,805.

: ratus for reducing the temperature of a portion of the air to be circulated and it has for an object to provide apparatus of the character designated which shall operate reliably and economically for extended periods of time and which shall produce a continuous current of air having a temperature substantially below that of the surrounding atmosphere. It has for a further object to provide an apparatus which shall be portable and compactly constructed and which may be readily operated by connecting the same to such a source of electrical energy as a light socket.

These and other objects, which will be made apparent throughout the further description of my invention, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a View, in sectional elevation, of one arrangement of my refrigerator fan, and Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic arrangement of the refrigerating apparatus.

Briefly speaking, my apparatus compnses a motor driven fan having associated therewith. in a novel manner, a refrigerating mechanism of the compression type. The refrigerating mechanism, which includes evaporating, condensing and compressing elements, preferably has the latter element housed within the base member supporting the fan, while the evaporating and condensing elements are disposed in the path of the air discharge. A portion of the circulating air is therefore utilized to absorb the heat of condensation of the refrigerant vapor while the remaining portion is discharged over the evaporating element and the liquid refrigerant contained therein is vaporized by the abstraction of the necessary heat from the air. The temperature of the latter portion of the aircurrent is therefore materially reduced and this cold air may be dis? charged in the desired direction, while the air which has been warmed by contacting with the condensing element may be so deflected that its heating effect is not noticeable. With such a novel arrangement of air circulating and refrigerating apparatus, the air circulated is employed both for condensing and vaporizing the refrigerant fluid, and a cold draft is produced with very little expenditure of motive energy.

Referring to the drawings for a more detailed description of my invention, I show a base 10 on which is mounted an electric motor 11 for driving a fan 12. The motor may be pivotally connected to the base 10 as by suitable interleaving lugs 13 held in engagement by a thumb screw 14. It is to be understood that my invention is not confined solely to the employment of the single type of fan illustrated, but that I may employ various other forms of a paratus which are capable of creating a raft or current of air. Furthermore, I may so construct the refrigerating portion of the apparatus, that existing fans may be readily associated therewith for materially reducing the temperature of the air they circulate.

Surrounding the fan 12 is a condensing coil 15 and disposed adjacent to the fan, on its discharge side, is an evaporated coil 16. Provided within the base 10 is a partition 17 which separates the base into an upper or compression chamber 18 and a lower or motor chamber 19. Disposed at the respective ends of the base 10 are removable covers 20 and 21 for permitting access to the two chambers. Located in the motor chamber 19 is a motor 23 provided with a shaft 24 passing through the partition 17 for driving a rotary compressor 25 located in the compression chamber. The shaft 24 is provided with a hollow ortion 26 and is carried in lower, interme iate and upper bearings 27, 28 and 29 provided in the cover 21, the partition 17 and the compressor 25, respectively. A lubricant arrester 33 is provided on the shaft 24. A small aperture 40 connects the arrester with the hollow portion of the shaft.

The compressor 25 is provided with a suction chamber 30 which connects, through a passage 31, with two intersecting radial holes 32 communicating with the hollow portion 26 of the shaft 24. The compressor 25 discharges through a conduit 34 to the interior of the compression chamber 18. The open end of the conduit 34 is disposed in proximate relation to the cover 20. A tube 35 is provided within the compression chamber for transmitting liquid from the lower portion thereof to the upper end of the bearing 29 for lubricating the bearings supporting the shaft 24.

A vapor outlet 36 for the compression chamber is provided in the cover 20. This outlet communicates, through a conduit 37 with a receptacle 38 dis osed in close proximity to the base 10. T e u per ortion of the receptacle 38 is provide wit an inlet conduit 39 and a plurality of bafiles 41 disposed in staggered relation for removing liquid which may be entrained in the vapor discharged from the compression chamber. The lower portion of the receptacle 38 contains a float mechanism 42 for maintaining a liquid level as indicated at 44. A perforated division plate 43 is interposed between the baflles 41 and the float mechanism 42. The liquid level within the compression chamber, which is indicated at 45, is maintained b an overflow conduit 46 which connects with the lower portion of the rece tacle.

Vapor which has passed t rough the separating apparatus is conveyed from the receptacle 38 by a conduit 47 to the condensing coil 15. The condensing coil 15 comprises, as shown in Fig. 2, inlet and outlet headers 48 and 49 connected by a plurality of concentric tubes 50 adapted to surround the fan 12. The condensed refrigerant is conveyed from the outlet header 49 by a conduit 51 to the lower portion of the race tacle 38. Subject to the movements of t e float control mechanism 42, the liquid is withdrawn from the receptacle 38 through a conduit 55 to the evaporating coil 16. The evaporating coil 16 is of somewhat similar construction to the condensing coil 15 and is so ositioned that a substantial portion of the an discharged by the fan 12 passes thereover. The evaporatmg coil 16 comprises an inlet header 56 commumcatlng through a plurality of concentric tubes 57 with a sur e tank 58. The surge 150 tank 58 contains a y of liquid working fluld having a level indicated at 59. This level is so located with res ct to the tubes 57 that the latter are at a times completely filled with liquid working fluid.

' x5 Disposed within the sur e tank 58 and havmg its inlet end dispose above the liquid level 59 is an outlet conduit 61 for returnin the vapor generated in the evaporating e05 to the motor chamber 19 of the base 10. Prolo vided in the conduit 61 is a small aperture 62 which is located below the level of the liquid and which permits of the constant entrainment of a small amount of liquid working fluid 1n the refrigerant vapor for subsequent- 6 1y lubricating and sealing the compression essence mechanism in assing therethrough. This novel method 0? lubricating the compression mechanism of a refrigerating apparatus is disclosed in my Patent No. 1,656,917, issued January 24, 1928, and entitled Refrigeration. Refrigerant fluid which is admitted to the motor chamber is conveyed to the inlet of the compression mechanism by the heretofore described hollow portion 26 of the shaft 24.

As illustrated 1n Fig. 1, deflectors 63 and 64 are associated with the condensing ele ment 15 for separating the stream of air assing thereover from the relatively col air which is deflected from the evaporating coil. Should the stream of cold air discharged by the apparatus have entrained therein an objectionable amount of moisture as a result of the accumulation of condensate upon the evaporating coil, I may provide some moisture absorbing means, such as an absorbent cloth 65, through which the cooled air is compelled to pass. Furthermore, I may provide a second cloth 66 upon the opposite side of the, evaporating coil, which cloth also serves to momentarily impede the flow of the air in its passage over the cooling coil.

The operation of the apparatus thus described is as follows: The com ression chamber 18, the receptacle 38 and t e evaporating coil 16 are all filled to a level, such as indicated at 45, 44 and 59, respectively, with a. suitable working fluid. I may employ as a working fluid a novel mixture consisting of a refrigerant and a lubricant which readily mix one with the other to form a homogenous mixture or physical solution and which I have previously disclosed in my Patent No. 1,645,- 198 issued October 11, 1927, and entitled Working fluid for refrigeration. Upon starting the motors 11 and 23, the rotations of the latter cause the compressor 25 to reduce the pressure within the evaporating coil 16 sufliciently to effect vaporization of the liquid refrigerant. The heat of vaporization is absorbed from a portion of the air circulated by the fan 12. The refrigerant vapor thus generated is drawn through the conduit 61 to the interior of the motor chamber 19 fromwhence it is conve ed through the hollow portion 26 of the s aft 24 and the passage 31 to the suction chamber 30 of the compression mechanism. A small quantity of the li uid working fluid contained in the surge tan 58 flows through the aperture 62 and is entrained in the refrigerant vapor passing to the compression mechanism. The refrigerant fluid passing through the shaft 24, being at a relatively low temperature, absorbs a considerable amount of the heat generated by the motor. The cooling action is particularly e'fiective because of the passage of the refrigerant fluid directly through the motor axis.

The liquid working fluid entrained in the refrigerant vapor passing through the motor shaft is a mixture of a refrigerant and a lubricant. The heat of the motor is sufiicient to vaporize a considerable portion of the liquid refrigerant, whereby the entrained liquid delivered to the compressor is substantially a lubricant. This entrained liquid lubricates the working parts of the compressor in passing therethrough, and forms an effective liquid seal between the suction and discharge chambers.

The compression mechanism 25 discharges through the conduit 34 a refrigerant vapor having entrained therein a quantity of liquid working fluid. The discharge from the conduit 34 impinges upon the cover 20 and a considerable portion of the entrained liquid is separated from the vapor and falls into the lower portion of the compression chamber 18. The liquid working fluid contained in the compression chamber 18 absorbs the heat generated by the compression mechanism 25 and the heat thus absorbed is sufficient to vaporize off any refrigerant which may be contained in the liquid, leaving a body of fluid which is substantially a lubricant. This lubricant is conveyed to the bearing 29 by means of the tube 35 and the difference in pressure prevailing between the bearing and the compression chamber. Lubricant seepage about the shaft 24 from the suction passage 31 insures adequate lubrication of the lntermediate bearing 28. Excess lubricant is collected by tho arrester 33 and returned to the hollow portion .26 of the shaft by means of the aperture 40. The lower bearing 27 is lubricated by the liquid working fluid entrained in the refrigerant vapor entering the hollow portion 26 of the shaft 24.

From the above description, it is apparent that very profuse lubrication of my compression mechanism is effected by continuously conveying lubricant through the compressor from both the evaporator, and the compression chamber. Should the level of the liquid contained in the compression chamber rise above that indicated at 45, the excess liquid flows through the conduit 46 to the lower portion of the receptacle 38.

The vapor discharged by the compression mechanism is conveyed by the conduit 37 to the receptacle 38 in which it flows downwardly through the inlet conduit 39 and thence returns upwardly around the numerous baffles 41 to the outlet conduit 47. Entrained liquid, which may have remained in the vapor discharged from the compression chamber is thereby removed, and the removed liquid drains downwardly through the perforated plate 43 to the lower portion of the receptacle. The refrigerant vapor passing through the conduit 47 enters the inlet header M of the condensing coil and the concentric tubes 50. The rotation of the fan 12 causes a constant current of air to be impinged upon the condensing coil and the air passing thereover absorbs sufiicient heat to rapidly eflect condensation. The condensed refrigerant then flows throu h the outlet header 49 to the conduit 51 whic conveys the same to the lower portion of the receptacle 38, wherein it conuningles with the liquid working fluid which has been previously removed by the separator mechanism contained in the upper portion.

Upon suflicient accumulation of liquid in the lower portion of the receptacle, the float 42 rises to permit the liquid to be drawn through the conduit 55 to the inlet header 56 and the evaporating tubes 57. A cooling effect is then produced in normal'manner by the evaporization of the liquid refrigerant caused by the low pressures maintained in the evaporating coil by the compression mechanism. The heat required for vaporization is absorbed from that portion of the air discharged by the fan 12 which is compelled to pass over the evaporating coil. The temperature of this stream of air is thereby materially reduced and may, by means of the adjustable connecting means provided between the motor ll and the base 10, be directed in any desired direction. The arrangement of the deflectors 63 and 64 is such that the air which is warmed in its passage over the condensing coil 15 has'its direction of flow reversed so as to be entirely separated from the air which is cooled. A stream of cooling air is therefore produced having a temperature substantially below that of the surrounding atmosphere. The refrigerant vapor generated in the evaporating coil rises upwardly through the liquid to the upper portion of the surge tank 58 from whence it is returned, in a manner heretofore described, to the suction chamber of the compression mechanism, thereby completing the cycle of operation.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is: Y

1. The combination with a fan for creating a current of air, of a refrigerating apparatus including evaporating and condensing elements, said evaporating and condensing elements being disposed in respective portions of the air current, and means for directing the portion of the air current pass ing over the condensing element in a direction diflerent from the portion of the air current passing over the evaporating element.

2. In a cooling fan, the combination of a base, a refrigerant compressor and driving motor disposed within the base, a motor su perimposed upon the base, a fan driven by the motor, and refrigerant condensing and evaporatin elements disposed in the discharge path 0% the fan.

3. In a cooling fan, the combination of a base, a refrigerant compressor and driving motor disposed within the base, a motor superimposed u on the base, a fan driven by the motor, re rigerant condensing and evaporating elements disposed in the discharge path of the fan, and an air deflector for selparating the heated air of the condensing e ment from the cooled air of the evaporating element.

4.-In a refrigerating apparatus in which a refrigerant fluid is vaporized, compressed and condensed in a repeating cycle, the combination of a compression mechanism, a motor for driving the same, said motor having a stator and a rotor, and means for passing the refrigerant fluid through said rotor for absorbing a portion of the heat generated by the motor.

5. In a refrigerating apparatus in which a refrigerant fluid is vaporized, compressed and condensed in a repeating cycle, the combination of a compression mechanism, a motor for driving the same, said motor having a stator and a rotor, a hollow shaft for the rotor, and means for passing refrigerant fluid through said shaft for absorbing a portion of the heat generated by the motor.

6. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a condenser, an evaporator, a mechanism for compressing the refrigerant vapor generated in the evaporator, a fluid withdrawal path connecting the evaporator and compression mechanism, a motor for driving the compression mechanism, said motor having a stator and a rotor, and a hollow shaft for the rotor, said shaft being disposed in the fluid withdrawal path, whereby the refrigerant vapor passing through the shaft absorbs a portion of the heat generated by the motor.

7. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of an evaporator, a condenser, a housing, a compression mechanism disposed within the housing, a receptacle, means for conveying refrigerant vapor discharged by the compression mechanism from the housing to the receptacle, a separator disposed within the receptacle for removing liquid from the refrigerant vapor, means for conveying the refrigerant vapor to the condenser, means for returning the condensed refrigerant to the receptacle, means for conveying the condensed refrigerant and the separated liquid from the receptacle to the evaporator, and means embodied in the receptacle for controlling the flow of the condensed refrigerant and the liquid through said conveying means.

8. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of an evaporator, a condenser, a housing, a compression mechanism disposed within the housing, a' receptacle, means for renames conveying refrigerant vapor discharged by the com ression mechanism from the housing to t e receptacle, a separator disposed within the receptacle for removing entrained liquid from the refrigerant vapor, means for conveying the refrigerant vapor to the condenser, means for returning the condensed refrigerant to the receptacle, said receptacle havin a chamber for commingling the condensed refrigerant and the liquid removed by the separator, means for conveying the commingled liquid to the evaporator, and a float mechanism for controlling the flow of the commin led liquid.

9. In a re rigerating apparatus, the combination of an evaporator, a condenser, a compression mechanism for translating refrigerant vapor from the evaporator to the condenser, means provided in the evaporator for continually entraining a quantity of liquid in the refrigerant. vapor prior to its passage through the compression mechanism, means for removing the entrained liquid from the refrigerant vapor upon its discharge from the compression mechanism, means for returning the condensed refrigerant to the evaporator, and means positioned between the condenser and the eva rator for comminglin the condensed refi igerant and the remove entrained liquid.

10. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of an evaporator, a condenser, a housing, a compressor and a motor disposed within the housing, said compressor translating refri erant vapor from the evaporator to the con enser at an increased pressure, means disposed between the evaporator and the compressor for entraining a quantity of liquid in the vapor passing through the compressor, a receptacle, means for conveying the refrigerant vapor having liquid entrained therem to the receptacle, a separator disposed within the receptacle for removing the entrained liquid from the refri erant va or, means for returning the con ensed re rigerant to the receptacle, said receptacle including a chamber for commingling the condensed refrigerant and the removed entrained liquid, means for conveying the commingled liquid to the evaporator, and a float mechanism disposed within the receptacle for controlling the flow of the liquid to the evaporator.

11. In a refrigerating apparatus in which a refrigeratin working fluid composed of an intimate mixture of a refrigerant and a lubricant is employed, the combination of a condenser, an evaporator, a compression mechanism, means for conveying refrigerant vapor from the evaporator to the compression mechanism, means provided in said conveying means for entraining a quantity of liquid working fluid in the refrigerant vapor, a separator for removing the liquid working fluid from the refrigerant vapor upon its discharge from the compression mechanism, means for conveying the refrigerant vapor to the condenser, means for commingling the condensed refrigerant and the liquid working fluid which has been arrested by the separator, and means for conveying the commingled condensed refrigerant and liquid working fluid to the evaporator.

12. In a refrigerating apparatus in which 10 a working fluid composed of an intimate mixture of a refrigerant and a lubricant is employed, the combination of an evaporator, a condenser, a compressor, a separator, means for conveying refrigerant vapor from the 15 evaporator to the compressor, means for entraining a quantity of liquid working fluid in the refrigerant vapor passing to the compressor, means for separating the entrained liquid working fluid from the refrigerant vao por upon its discharge from the compressor,

means for utilizing the heat generated by I the compression mechanism for vaporizin ofi? the refrigerant contained in the liquid working fluid, means for conveying the re- 5 frigerant vapor to the separator, means for entraining excess lubricant in the refrigerant vapor passing to the separator, means for conve mg refrigerant vapor havingremoved there om the entrained lubricant from the 30 se arator to the condenser, means for commmgling the condensed refrigerant and the removed lubricant, and means for conveying the commingled liquid to the evaporator.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto sub- 35 scribed my name this tenth day of November, 1924.

ANDREW A. KUCHER. 

